For those suffering from hypertension, there is a diet approach that can lower a person's blood pressure naturally. This page will help you navigate through finding everything you need to know about your diet and hypertension.
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Eating with High blood pressure
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest that people with hypertension or prehypertension limit their sodium intake to 1,500 milligrams. However, average Americans consume twice that amount. The packaged foods that contain the highest amounts of salt include deli meat, fruit, vegetable juices and canned or bottled tomato products.
Deli meat (especially combined with bread, cheese, and condiments) can be very strong source of sodium after it has been cured, seasoned, and preserved with salt. Pizza can also be a bad choice for those who are guarding their sodium intake. Frozen pizza is especially dangerous for hypertensive people, since it requires a lot more salt for maintaining flavor - it can contain as much as 6,000 milligrams of sodium.
Salt can be a good way to stop the decay of the food and keep it edible longer. However, it means that vegetables sitting in canning and preserving liquids will have more sodium. A pickle spear can contain 300 milligrams of sodium. Canned and packaged broths and stocks have 890 milligrams of sodium or more in just one serving. Canned tomato sauces, pasta sauces, and tomato juices are all high-sodium culprits containing as much as 900 milligrams of sodium.
Most people already know that excessive sugar intake increases weight. But most people don’t know that excessive intake of sugar is also linked to high blood pressure! High blood pressure is more common in individuals who are overweight or obese. The American Heart Association recommends that women limit added sugar intake to 6 teaspoons per day while men limit intake to 9 teaspoons per day.
Since fat can be linked to hypertension, people should avoid saturated and trans fats, especially those in chicken skin. Trans fat are found naturally in small amounts in fatty meats and dairy produces. However, packaged and prepared foods are the biggest contributor of trans fats. According to the CDC, consuming too many saturated and trans fats increase LDL, which is bad cholesterol. High LDL worsen hypertension and eventually lead to heart disease.
Coffee can be also a bad choice for those who have hypertension since a morning cup of Joe will cause a spike in blood pressure. Any caffeinated drink, including soda or caffeinated tea, can increase your blood pressure. Drinking alcohol can be both good and bad, as a small amount of alcohol lowers blood pressure, while too much alcohol increases blood pressure. In addition, repeated drinking lead to long-term blood pressure problems.
The 411 on Diet and Hypertension
To prevent Hypertension it is important to maintain a healthy body weight*. Weight loss is the most effective lifestyle modification to reduce high blood pressure. A 5-10mm Hg reduction per 10 kg loss or simply a reduction of 10% of body weight has positive effects on hypertension.
Fitness and exercise are great ways to treat and prevent hypertension. It is proven that individuals who are less active can increase their risk for hypertension. Individuals should stay active at least 30 to 45 minutes a day for most days out of the week to maintain a healthy body weight and prevent hypertension.This site will explain reasons how exercise is beneficial and tips on how to get started for beginners: HTN - Exercise and Fitness
Evidence from a variety of sources has proven that merely reducing dietary sodium results in lower blood pressure. Krause's Food and Nutrition Therapy explains that sodium reduction with or without weight loss can reduce the incidence of hypertension by 20%. The following site explains and provides a helpful table that lists the sodium content of many common foods: Sodium and the Diet
The DASH diet is commonly recommended to help people that are diagnosed with hypertension, and is effective 14 days after starting it. DASH stands for: Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. This diet recommends a low sodium regimen for those who are salt sensitive (which means an individual's blood pressure increases in response to increased sodium); increased daily servings of fruits and vegetables (4-5 servings each); 2-3 servings/day of fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products; <6 oz or less/day of lean meats, poultry and fish; restriction fats and oils to 2-3 tsp/day; and 5 or less servings/week of sweets and added sugars. Check with your doctor if you have other health conditions, to make sure the DASH diet is right for you. More specific dietary requirements for the DASH diet can be found on this link: Dash diet
If you make the right decisions, it is generally healthier and less expensive to prepare your own meals. However, the seemingly endless number of choices at the grocery store can be overwhelming. What kinds of food should be included on your shopping list? This guide from the American Heart Association helps you be heart-smart at the supermarket: Grocery Shopping The list includes information on how to make heart healthy choices when shopping for:
Vegetables and Fruit
Milk, Cheese, Butter, and Eggs
Meat, Poultry, Fish, and Nuts
Bread and Baked Goods
Oils, Dressings, and Shortenings
Looking out for sodium:
There are many foods that appear heart healthy, but are loaded with sodium. Here are some high-sodium surprises to watch out for when shopping:
Frozen Dinners
Ready-to-eat Cereals
Vegetable Juices
Canned Vegetables
Packaged Deli Meats
Soups
Marinades and Flavorings
Spaghetti Sauce
Salted Nuts
Condiments
More detailed information on these high sodium surprises can be found in the link below: Sodium Shockers
Reading labels:
It can be difficult to make good food choices at the grocery store if you don't know what to look for! This is a very good website that provides interactive information about food labels: Food label info
Sample nutrition label from nutritiondata.com.
This site can also provide some helpful hints for deciphering food labels: Deciphering food labels
Cooking for Hypertension
Recipes and cooking tips:
Food does not have to taste bland just because you are watching your salt. The recipe provided below is a great example of how balancing higher sodium foods with lower sodium options can make for a tasty meal. Traditionally, Gorgonzola Cheese has around 300 mg of sodium, but paired with lower sodium options, you can have a low-sodium, yet flavorful meal. Per serving, this recipe contains 508 mg of Sodium and 524 mg of Potassium.
Seared Steaks with Caramelized Onions & Gorgonzola Recipe
Buy fresh or frozen vegetables. If buying canned vegetables, rinse them to reduce sodium content by 40%.
Use fresh lean meat over processed types.
Use salt-free seasoning blends.
Cut back on "convenience" foods.
Cook pasta and rice without salt.
Buy low- or reduced-sodium, or no-salt-added foods.
Below are two links for more tips relating to diet, including how to read and what to look for on nutrition labels, how to choose low sodium foods, and more tips and facts about sodium.
The following site has ideas for meals, snacks and dining out that are DASH friendly: Eating on the Dash diet
Several meal ideas are listed that are all quick, easy, and family-friendly.
Dining Out
It is still possible to eat at your favorite restaurants if you make smart choices. This link has sections with tips on talking to your server, choosing your restaurant, and even making good selections at fast food restaurants. Dining out on a Diet
Photo from tastyislandhawii.com
Helpful tips
It is important to remember to watch the amount of calories being consumed for any healthy lifestyle. The following table lists caloric needs and the amount of empty calories allotted for different age groups. Empty calories are calories from solid fats and/or added sugars. Solid fats and added sugars add calories to the food but provide* few or no nutrients.
Age and gender
Estimated calories for those who are not physically active
Total daily calorie needs*
Daily limit for empty calories
Children 2-3 yrs
1000 cals
135
Children 4-8 yrs
1200-1400 cals
120
Girls 9-13 yrs
1600 cals
120
Boys 9-13 yrs
1800 cals
160
Girls 14-18 yrs
1800 cals
160
Boys 14-18 yrs
2200 cals
265
Females 19-30 yrs
2000 cals
260
Males 19-30 yrs
2400 cals
330
Females 31-50 yrs
1800 cals
160
Males 31-50 yrs
2200 cals
265
Females 51+ yrs
1600 cals
120
Males 51+ yrs
2000 cals
260
These amounts are appropriate for individuals who get less than 30 minutes of moderate physical activity most days. Those who are more active need more total calories, and have a higher limit for empty calories. To find your personal total calorie needs and empty calories limit, enter your information into "My Daily Food Plan" at: MyPlate. Supertracker is part of the MyPlate website. It is a great way to track the nutritional value of the foods you consume eat day. All you have to do is create an account with your e-mail and type in the foods and beverages you've consumed that day.
The limit for empty calories is higher for children 2 and 3 years old than it is for some older children, because younger children have lower nutrient needs and smaller recommended intakes from the basic food groups.
To receive a more individualized estimates on the amount of calories needed, use the following link to get to my daily food plan, which will calculate the amount of calories needed based upon Age, Gender, Weight, Height and Activity Level: Daily food plan
After estimating the amount of calories needed, the following website provides meal planners based upon the caloric needs and the DASH diet: Dash diet eating plan
Smart phone applications can be a very helpful and easy way to track daily caloric intake and exercise. Using these applications may help boost motivation to stay on track!: Smart phone apps for fitness
IS YOUR DIET ENCOURAGING YOUR HYPERTENSION?
For those suffering from hypertension, there is a diet approach that can lower a person's blood pressure naturally. This page will help you navigate through finding everything you need to know about your diet and hypertension.
Eating with High blood pressure
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest that people with hypertension or prehypertension limit their sodium intake to 1,500 milligrams. However, average Americans consume twice that amount. The packaged foods that contain the highest amounts of salt include deli meat, fruit, vegetable juices and canned or bottled tomato products.
Deli meat (especially combined with bread, cheese, and condiments) can be very strong source of sodium after it has been cured, seasoned, and preserved with salt. Pizza can also be a bad choice for those who are guarding their sodium intake. Frozen pizza is especially dangerous for hypertensive people, since it requires a lot more salt for maintaining flavor - it can contain as much as 6,000 milligrams of sodium.
Salt can be a good way to stop the decay of the food and keep it edible longer. However, it means that vegetables sitting in canning and preserving liquids will have more sodium. A pickle spear can contain 300 milligrams of sodium. Canned and packaged broths and stocks have 890 milligrams of sodium or more in just one serving. Canned tomato sauces, pasta sauces, and tomato juices are all high-sodium culprits containing as much as 900 milligrams of sodium.
Most people already know that excessive sugar intake increases weight. But most people don’t know that excessive intake of sugar is also linked to high blood pressure! High blood pressure is more common in individuals who are overweight or obese. The American Heart Association recommends that women limit added sugar intake to 6 teaspoons per day while men limit intake to 9 teaspoons per day.
Since fat can be linked to hypertension, people should avoid saturated and trans fats, especially those in chicken skin. Trans fat are found naturally in small amounts in fatty meats and dairy produces. However, packaged and prepared foods are the biggest contributor of trans fats. According to the CDC, consuming too many saturated and trans fats increase LDL, which is bad cholesterol. High LDL worsen hypertension and eventually lead to heart disease.
Coffee can be also a bad choice for those who have hypertension since a morning cup of Joe will cause a spike in blood pressure. Any caffeinated drink, including soda or caffeinated tea, can increase your blood pressure. Drinking alcohol can be both good and bad, as a small amount of alcohol lowers blood pressure, while too much alcohol increases blood pressure. In addition, repeated drinking lead to long-term blood pressure problems.
The 411 on Diet and Hypertension
To prevent Hypertension it is important to maintain a healthy body weight*. Weight loss is the most effective lifestyle modification to reduce high blood pressure. A 5-10mm Hg reduction per 10 kg loss or simply a reduction of 10% of body weight has positive effects on hypertension.
Fitness and exercise are great ways to treat and prevent hypertension. It is proven that individuals who are less active can increase their risk for hypertension. Individuals should stay active at least 30 to 45 minutes a day for most days out of the week to maintain a healthy body weight and prevent hypertension.This site will explain reasons how exercise is beneficial and tips on how to get started for beginners: HTN - Exercise and Fitness
Evidence from a variety of sources has proven that merely reducing dietary sodium results in lower blood pressure. Krause's Food and Nutrition Therapy explains that sodium reduction with or without weight loss can reduce the incidence of hypertension by 20%. The following site explains and provides a helpful table that lists the sodium content of many common foods: Sodium and the Diet
The DASH diet is commonly recommended to help people that are diagnosed with hypertension, and is effective 14 days after starting it. DASH stands for: Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. This diet recommends a low sodium regimen for those who are salt sensitive (which means an individual's blood pressure increases in response to increased sodium); increased daily servings of fruits and vegetables (4-5 servings each); 2-3 servings/day of fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products; <6 oz or less/day of lean meats, poultry and fish; restriction fats and oils to 2-3 tsp/day; and 5 or less servings/week of sweets and added sugars. Check with your doctor if you have other health conditions, to make sure the DASH diet is right for you.
More specific dietary requirements for the DASH diet can be found on this link: Dash diet
Books available for purchase:
Thomas Moore, MD, Mark Jenkins, et al
Pocket Books, 2003
- ISBN-10: 0743410076
- ISBN-13: 978-0743410076
picture from http://tower.com/dash-diet-for-hypertension-thomas-moore-paperback/wapi/118005044Purchase on Amazon
Marla Heller, MS, RD
Amidon Press, 2007
- ISBN-10: 097634081X
- ISBN-13: 978-0976340812
picture from http://ww3.hdnux.com/photos/11/45/75/2514814/3/628x471.jpPurchase on Amazon
At the Grocery Store
If you make the right decisions, it is generally healthier and less expensive to prepare your own meals. However, the seemingly endless number of choices at the grocery store can be overwhelming. What kinds of food should be included on your shopping list? This guide from the American Heart Association helps you be heart-smart at the supermarket: Grocery Shopping
The list includes information on how to make heart healthy choices when shopping for:
Looking out for sodium:
There are many foods that appear heart healthy, but are loaded with sodium. Here are some high-sodium surprises to watch out for when shopping:
More detailed information on these high sodium surprises can be found in the link below:
Sodium Shockers
Reading labels:
It can be difficult to make good food choices at the grocery store if you don't know what to look for! This is a very good website that provides interactive information about food labels: Food label infoThis site can also provide some helpful hints for deciphering food labels: Deciphering food labels
Cooking for Hypertension
Recipes and cooking tips:
Food does not have to taste bland just because you are watching your salt. The recipe provided below is a great example of how balancing higher sodium foods with lower sodium options can make for a tasty meal. Traditionally, Gorgonzola Cheese has around 300 mg of sodium, but paired with lower sodium options, you can have a low-sodium, yet flavorful meal. Per serving, this recipe contains 508 mg of Sodium and 524 mg of Potassium.
A few suggestions for reducing sodium in your diet include:
Below are two links for more tips relating to diet, including how to read and what to look for on nutrition labels, how to choose low sodium foods, and more tips and facts about sodium.
Dealing with hypertension
Tips to Eat less Salt and Sodium
The following site has appetizing recipes that are DASH diet friendly:
Healthy low-sodium recipe collection
Is company coming? Impress your guests with low-sodium entrees and sides.Pineapple-Teriyaki Chicken
To help you understand what makes these recipes healthier (other than being low-sodium), check out the nutrition parameters:
Nutrition parameters
The following site has ideas for meals, snacks and dining out that are DASH friendly:
Eating on the Dash diet
Several meal ideas are listed that are all quick, easy, and family-friendly.
Dining Out
It is still possible to eat at your favorite restaurants if you make smart choices. This link has sections with tips on talking to your server, choosing your restaurant, and even making good selections at fast food restaurants. Dining out on a Diet
Helpful tips
It is important to remember to watch the amount of calories being consumed for any healthy lifestyle. The following table lists caloric needs and the amount of empty calories allotted for different age groups. Empty calories are calories from solid fats and/or added sugars. Solid fats and added sugars add calories to the food but provide* few or no nutrients.
Total daily calorie needs*
Daily limit for empty calories
These amounts are appropriate for individuals who get less than 30 minutes of moderate physical activity most days. Those who are more active need more total calories, and have a higher limit for empty calories. To find your personal total calorie needs and empty calories limit, enter your information into "My Daily Food Plan" at: MyPlate. Supertracker is part of the MyPlate website. It is a great way to track the nutritional value of the foods you consume eat day. All you have to do is create an account with your e-mail and type in the foods and beverages you've consumed that day.
The limit for empty calories is higher for children 2 and 3 years old than it is for some older children, because younger children have lower nutrient needs and smaller recommended intakes from the basic food groups.
To receive a more individualized estimates on the amount of calories needed, use the following link to get to my daily food plan, which will calculate the amount of calories needed based upon Age, Gender, Weight, Height and Activity Level:
Daily food plan
After estimating the amount of calories needed, the following website provides meal planners based upon the caloric needs and the DASH diet: Dash diet eating plan
Smart phone applications can be a very helpful and easy way to track daily caloric intake and exercise. Using these applications may help boost motivation to stay on track!:
Smart phone apps for fitness